A new survey from the British Medical Association of nearly 2,000 GPs finds buildings that are not fit for purpose and were never designed to meet modern health needs.
A British Medical Association (BMA) survey of nearly 2,000 GPs and practice managers has revealed widespread concern about the state of surgeries across England; mould growing in waiting rooms, treatment rooms with cracked walls and inadequate space for staff to work in.
Only 50% of respondents to the survey said their premises are suitable for present use, while 83% believe they cannot meet future demand. More than four out of five respondents said that they did not have enough space for additional staff, and nearly three-quarters said they cannot provide training facilities for new GPs.
Funding is falling seriously short. Since 2022, 42% of applications for funds to make improvements have been rejected, even though most requested less than £150,000.
BMA General Practitioners Committee England Premises Policy Lead Dr Gaurav Gupta said:
“This survey shows a system at breaking point,” said BMA general practitioners committee England premises policy lead Gaurav Gupta.
“Patients deserve to be seen in safe, modern surgeries that allow GPs and their teams to focus on what matters most, but instead they are being cared for in buildings that are simply not fit for purpose and were never designed to meet modern health needs,” she continued.
Not just bricks and mortar
Practices also reported serious concerns over longstanding disputes over inaccurate charges from Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) owned companies, NHS Property Services (NHSPS) and Community Health Partnerships (CHP), with examples like being charged for lift maintenance when the practice does not even have a lift.
Over 65% of respondents in NHSPS buildings and over 74% in CHP buildings said they have received incorrect invoices.
More than half of NHSPS tenants and a third of CHP tenants, who responded to the survey, say that these disputes are threatening their sustainability, and worryingly, many GPs have even considered handing back their contracts as a result.
“This is not just about bricks and mortar, this is ultimately about patient care. We urgently need substantial investment to modernise GP surgeries, clear action to free up space by removing paper records, and resolution of service charge disputes that have gone on for years,” added Gupta.
